Palo Alto Weekly

Shop Talk

NEW MARKETS COMING TO TOWN ... Many in the neighborhood surrounding Alma Plaza on E. Meadow Drive in Palo Alto are looking forward to the opening of Miki's Farm Fresh Market. Plaza developer John McNellis said the 19,000-square-foot market is expected to be finished by Sept. 1. The independent grocery will focus on organic items, and sell such supermarket staples as produce and meat. Michael Werness, a former manager at two Berkeley markets, will run the store. (He goes by "Miki.")

Mountain View is also expecting a new grocer geared toward green-minded consumers. Sunflower Markets appears to be catching on; several locations are opening, including one at 630 San Antonio Road this summer. "All our stores are set up the exact same way. ... We sell organic and conventional products," said Jessica Swol, a cashier at the Roseville location.

Meanwhile, the older Safeway supermarket at 2580 California St. in Mountain View will be replaced with a renovated Safeway on San Antonio Road. The new store will be 65,000 square feet and have more modern additions, such as a cafe and deli with a sushi bar, said Susan Houghton, director of public government affairs for Safeway. "And depending upon weather, we would love to open in 2013," she said.

— Cristina Wong

PIZZA ON PARK ... Many pizza offerings have a definite local slant at the Palo Alto Pizza Co., which opened in January at 2450 Park Blvd. just off California Avenue in Palo Alto. Menu options include: El Palo Alto (grilled chicken with spicy chipotle cream sauce), The California Ave. (olives, artichoke hearts and tomatoes in pesto sauce), and The Cardinal (mesquite-grilled chicken with red onions, bell peppers and creamy garlic sauce). Crusts can be thick or thin. For more information, go to paloalto-pizza.com.

— Rebecca Wallace

SHAVING, STANFORD-STYLE ... The Art of Shaving, which adds a little luxury to men's morning rituals, opened in January at Stanford Shopping Center, in the space previously claimed by Kiehl's. Store-brand men's grooming products include nickel-plated engraved razors, silvertip badger brushes and after-shave clay masks. More info is at theartofshaving.com.

— Rebecca Wallace

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Heard a rumor about your favorite store or business moving out, or in, down the block or across town? Shop Talk will check it out. Email shoptalk@paweekly.com.